All Articles For In His Fear

As children of God we are not OF the world, but we are certainly very much IN the world, and the trends and events of this world have effect upon us. We are confronted with the situations of this present world. This is especially true in respect to our to-be-married or our just-married young people. The housing shortage effects every one of us, but especially our young people who are planning to enter or have recently entered upon married life.

Dear Editor: After reading the articles of Rev. Gritters, “About Catechism, Etc.”, and “Catechism Around the Confessions”, I was prompted to write a word in appreciation but also in criticism. The emphasis Rev. Gritters placed upon the need to have instruction in our creeds is worthy of all of our support. I believe we should so instruct in the creeds of our fathers that they are again appreciated as statements and standards to be used in our fight against falsehood.

I hope you have read what brother Rev. Doezema wrote in our column last time. Better re-read it or re-call it otherwise you won’t know what I am going to try to write about now.

“This one thing (I do)” says Paul in Phil. 8:13, “towards the goal, I pursue for the prize”. “One thing I know” says the man born blind,” that whereas I was blind, now I see.” “One thing have I desired of the Lord” says the psalmist in Ps. 27:4, “that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life”.

When this department which bears the title “In His Fear” was inaugurated some two ore three years ago, it was presented as one set aside for the treatment of educational subjects, subjects that have to do with the field of education in home, school and church. The phrase, “In His Fear” also suggests that one might treat matters that have to do with practical Christianity. Our purpose at this time is to use this department for a time to treat educational matters.

In the last issue we presented certain principles according to which the subject of history should be taught in the Christian schools. Briefly they were: (1) History is the study and observation of God’s eternal plan and purposes in regard to the earth’s peoples. (2) This plan God has made known to us. It is principally to bring His Church into the final glory of His perfected kingdom.

When we stated in the last installment of this department that the child should be trained in the history class to see all things as God’s work whereby He fulfills His counsel, we mean that single historical events as well as the complete picture history gives us must be used to impress the child with and lead him in the contemplation of the infinite greatness of God and thus train him to worship this infinitely great God.

In the closing paragraph of the last installment of this department we made the remark that in the history class the covenant child must also be taught to see historical events as God sees them. By this we mean that he must be trained to be able to judge events according to the judgment of God. These events must be analyzed for him according to the ethical, moral standards whereby God judges them. And in this way he will be trained to analyze future events according to this same standard.

“Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; That ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever.

Training in the Geography Class We now come to that important subject of Geography which must also receive a distinctive treatment in the schools where God’s covenant children are instructed. There only can this subject be treated as it should be presented. There only can the royal priesthood of God’s children be trained as citizens of the kingdom of heaven whose calling is, while still here on earth, to live that heavenly citizenship in every sphere of this life.